The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-03-31

n1S ROOAOe LAG Ao ~ 49,
the bank and thought over the days
Fiery thoughts he had. until
another idea made its entrance into his
brain, cooling them off a little. !:
What right had you there at alp"
insinuated conscience, or whatever re-
Elective faculty takes her place in a
boys mind. Had he not started out to
find poor little Kitty, who was now,
perhaps through his fault, lying stiff
and cold somewhere on the broad prai-
rieP Jim liked Kitty Nichols. I sup
pose any rough but kind-hearted boy
would have liked such a pretty, blue
eyed mite, when she came running to
meet him with unfailing delight. Her
folks were neighbors and she was
their only little girl. His heart re-
preached him for having left her to her
fate.
20, well, they've surely found her
by this time" he reasoned uneasily;
then, heaping up the fire, fell asleep.
He awoke shivering with more than
cold. He thought that, finding Kitty
asleep, he had called her to rise and
come home, when a lean, gray wolf
bounded upon her. He seizedit by the
throat, but had not the strength to
strangle it, and dared not let 60.
Though near home he was unable TO
speak aloud, either to call help or
wake the sleeping child. while the air
was hideous with the sharp cries of adj
vancing wolves. When he shook off
this nightmare, his comfort was not in
creased by hearing the yells of his
dream multiply around him, and seeing
well-known dark figures stink over the
hills. A light snow had sifted down
during the night, and the world showed
ghostly white in the cold, gray dawn.
With much difficulty Jimmy coaxed
the damp wood to blaze, and hung
over it in hungry remembrance of the
warm home breakfasts.
The sun had scarcely risen above the
low hills when watery-looking clouds
obscured the whole sky, and a chill
wind whistled through the bushes. Jim
got the pony and started for home. On
fresh, cool mornings exercise of any
kind is delightful. and he had not gone
far before his spirits were considt rably
heightened.
Crossing a gully his. quick eye dis
cerned q mark on the other side. II
was a child's footprint in the snow. He
followed it up and found a chain OF
such prints. But all around, intersect-
ing it in places, were the tracks Of the
prairie wolves.
just then the ground shook as the
band Of mounted herders swept past.
Jake alone refined up beside him. His
face showed that he had been drink
ing.
"Don't you wish you hadn't lost your
chance Of catching Old Abep" he
sneered.
"T've as good a chance as you have,
but I've something better to d." the
boy returned, tracing the tracks as he
spoke. Jake looked at him a moment
then, seeing how far the others were
ahead, spurred his broncho into join.
ing them
Left to himself Jim moved along,
watching the ground with intense in.
terest. Last night she was alive, then,
and he might still find her. The light
snow, however, rapidly disappearing,
gave him no further aid.
Startled by the well-known rush o.
hoofs and clamor of voices he hurried
his pony to a point whence he could
see the chase. Straight onward fliel
the Infatuated steer, holly pursued BY
the herders. They have nearly rur
him down. The mighty head is lower
ed, the fierce eyes haggard, and thu
muscles tense with exertion. tits easy
to see that he is near his end; easy t.
know, also, that his last struggle viii
be a desperate one.
Lifting his head, Old Abe glaret
around him; then lowering his horns
made a sudden sweep to the right at al
object not twenty yards away. Goot
heavens! 1t was the light dress ant
yellow hair of little Kitty Nichols. 4
general shout rose. More than one re
volver was drawn, but the shot wa
withheld for fear of hitting the wron.
mark. Jake had the only chance, an,
he was equal to the emergency. 81
swung his rawhide lasso, the loop flew
out, settled over those cruel whit
horns, and the watchers drew a breatl
of relief. The child, who, unable t
fly, had fallen into a half kneeling pc
%sition, rose a little, as if in hope; whe;
suddenly Jake caught sight of Jir
Rowell. With a demoniac yell he Gu
and flung the rope from the saddle be
fore it had been stretched.
There it is. Take It'll" he shouted
bursting into laughter.
It was a pretty rough crowd, and nc
onein it but wished at that momeI
that Jake's moose was around his ow
neck.
Jim's honest, hot blood, chilled an il
slant before, leaped with indignation
and all his frontier learning came I
his assistance. He dashed after til
trailing rope, threw himself down an
caught it from the ground, rightin
himself in the saddle before the strai
came, and just as Al Thompson's wei
directed shot laid the brindle savage
the very feet of trembling Kitty. The
found her weak and chilled, but sti
safe and well.
Jimmy was quite a hero for a fe
!, days, his strained arms and torn hant
bearing witness to his adventure; b
he had enough to accord !
: Thompson a fair share of the prais
) His old enemy left that part of tt
country; probably he had his w re
, sons, but people laid the credit of h
, absence to that days occurrences
l Wasn't my little girl afraid WHIT
the wolves came around her at night
! Kitty's happy mother asked her.
i "No," the child answered. "Yt
told me if I prayed to God He wouldr
!, let any thing hurt me, and you see
i didn't"-with a satisfied turn of t
, faxen head. But" she continue